Ghana Bag?

Okie... so... I am curious about something and maybe somebody here will be able to help me out with this. I was fishing around youtube, which I am known to do now and again, when I came across a video of a guy opening up a bag of ghana ball pythons. There were some really neat looking animals in the bunch and it got me to thinking...

Does anyone know how you get a bag of ghana balls? How much does it typically cost and for how many animals? Its like a gamble to me, only more fun because its balls! Who doesn't love a mystery bag of ball pythons? lol

Not sure of the cost or how to get them, but from what i've read if you like norms and a dinker here and there then their the way to go.

I'm pretty sure Outback advertises them early in the year. So keep an eye out on fauna and kingsnake in 2012. March and April I think it is...someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I got mine from Outback Reptiles.

During that time of year when all the imports come in, you can find a LOT of people on Kingsnake Classifieds advertising them.

Be aware, most of these babies are newly hatched. They have not shed nor eaten, and will be very nervous and slightly dehydrated when you get them. Have their setups ready to go, and they will usually do fine. Of the 10 I recieved, only two gave me problems feeding. Just be prepared.

Gale

Yeah, I noticed on the video the guy dumped the bag straight into a tub with water in it. He said he likes to give them about ten minutes to get their fill of water before he puts them all in a community tub to shed, then he puts them into seperate containers. I think I would have a different container for each, just so I know who sheds when exactly and I could keep a better eye on them. It just seemed like it could be a lot of fun!

So around the new year I should be keeping my peepers open for a ghana grab bag lol. Gotcha! I am kinda excited about the prospect now lol.

I got mine almost 5 years ago, from Constrictors something or another in Florida. I think it was $150 for 10 balls, they were captive hatched, placed in a bag and shipped over from Africa. 3 gave me a hard time getting started on food. Two finally gave in a month later, but the one had to be assist fed for about 3 months. I still have her.....she's my baby :)

I have seen Outback reptiles advertising them. Sometimes you get some real cool dinkers.

So is it just normals and dinkers? Or is there a chance for more like playing the loto?

Ben Siegel had some earlier as well, I saw a lot of people get his in the auctions

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Originally Posted by Driver

So is it just normals and dinkers? Or is there a chance for more like playing the loto?

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No, all the obvious morphs will be pulled out. Back in the day before all these mutations were proven genetic, sometimes they were shipped over, but as Heather puts it, Africa isn't stupid:

http://heathersherpsblog.blogspot.co...e-hatched.html

Breeders and collectors in Ghana have the internet, too, and they know perfectly well what morphs look like, and how valuable they are. You might get a nice dinker, and it might even prove out, but you won't find a piebald or an albino or even a pastel in those bags.

The term dinker is so overused. You don't think these bags get a quick once over before they go to you? When there's money involved, there's hands in the cookie jar. If you're looking to get some new blood and buy 10 females to breed then it's a great idea but otherwise, I'd steer clear. I've heard lots of stories about people struggling to get these stressed out international babies to eat so just be sure you know what you're getting into.

Regards,

B

After I posted I started doing research and watching videos. One of them wouldn't show the camera the "special" snakes. He said he's trying to prove stuff out. I think it would be fun, but not at the level I'm at now. I need a few more morphs first.

See I was wondering that too... I wasn't sure if they look in there in order to see what kind of goods might be in there before they sell them or what. Is there anyway to get them straight from Africa without having the middle man? Obviously the big guys do.

From what I watched they are the ones who catch them in the wild. It's a whole business to them. One video they had a tub of over 50 eggs from multiple pastels. Here are the videos I watched. You will want the close captions on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nyor...e_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47fk8...e_gdata_player

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Originally Posted by Crawly's Mom

See I was wondering that too... I wasn't sure if they look in there in order to see what kind of goods might be in there before they sell them or what. Is there anyway to get them straight from Africa without having the middle man? Obviously the big guys do.

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They probably have connections at this point, since the majority of the big guys have been around for a good long while. :]

If I got a grab bag, I would them all checked out by a vet, juuust in case of internal parasites or anything along those lines. I personally don't approve of the grab bags, but that's just me. I wouldn't buy them, but I'm not against anyone else doing it. Your choice, I just think it wouldn't hurt to get them checked out once they get here. :] Ensure that if anything is amiss, you can get it right and get 'em eating! Good luck.

A friend of mine got a bag for about $200. It came with morphs like pastels. He sold them all off and made a significant profit.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crawly's Mom

Yeah, I noticed on the video the guy dumped the bag straight into a tub with water in it. He said he likes to give them about ten minutes to get their fill of water before he puts them all in a community tub to shed, then he puts them into seperate containers. I think I would have a different container for each, just so I know who sheds when exactly and I could keep a better eye on them. It just seemed like it could be a lot of fun!

So around the new year I should be keeping my peepers open for a ghana grab bag lol. Gotcha! I am kinda excited about the prospect now lol.

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Sounds like Ben Siegel.
:D

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For me personally I'd rather just pick up some really nice normals. I know what I want to see and I don't want just any old normal to be involved in my breeding(as much as I love maru, unless I found a project that suited him, he wouldn't be a breeder for me!)

If I wanted to have tons of breeders maybe, but normals to me would need to be just as crucial to my plans as my morphs. Both parents pass on genes to the babies, so even if one doesn't have a morph, the rest of it's genes better add to the morphs you're making! At least to me. Paying so much for a mystery bag scares me lol, I'm too picky~!

The bags are really nice if you are willing to take a gamble and know what you're going to get. Don't expect a lavender albino pied or anything to pop up lol! Some of the ghana babies are very orange which I like, but I'd rather have some cbb babies personally! I don't want to deal with the stress.

The only real reason to get one of these now is for fresh genetics. Sure there's an odd change of finding something but it's not really worth it unless you just want new normal breeding stock.

They are cheap, but IMO not worth it. I would much rather support breeders, not importers and flippers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crawly's Mom

See I was wondering that too... I wasn't sure if they look in there in order to see what kind of goods might be in there before they sell them or what. Is there anyway to get them straight from Africa without having the middle man? Obviously the big guys do.

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The importers in Africa visually inspect the snakes before placing them in the bag. They know what morphs are, and hold them back to sell them at higher prices. It is not likely that you will find any morphs in them, except maybe some very subtle morph.